Out of Body

Some English and Swedish scientists have been researching the concept of sense of self, how the brain recognizes, perceives and processes self-awareness. They used techniques to mimic out of body experiences described by people who have been "dead" or were undergoing some procedure or another, viewing themselves from an outside vantage point.

Dr. Henrik Ehrsson of University College London says he is interested in the "question of why I feel that my self is located inside my physical body. How does my brain know that I am standing right here?"

Using video cameras, head-mounted video displays, and virtual reality goggles, the researchers "trick" subjects into thinking they are looking at themselves from outside their body, then conduct trials, such as touching a rod to the chest or having the subject walk to a particular spot.

The studies hope to determine the role of our senses in self-consiousness.

The brain, which is always interpreting the millions of sensory stimuli reaching it every second, can be fooled and does have biases. Is it "me" or our brain that determines who we are, and are"me" and brain two different things or is "me" a creation of the brain based on genetic and chemical signaling and pre-wired components?

This is such an age-old question. Will technology some day reveal that secret? Will we be ready for whatever the answer is?